How To Create Success By Ginger Marks Cover Art by Amanda Tomasoa http://www.amandatomasoa.com/ Contents Chapter 1 Commit to Excellence Chapter 2 Commit to Do Chapter 3 Commit to Win Chapter 4 A Vote For Confidence Chapter 5 Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting – Part I Chapter 6 Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting – Part II Chapter 7 Contagious Influence Commit to excellence! The potential for success lies within you. Granted you must be brave, committed and flexible; you also must remain clearly focused on your goal. Whether that goal is to build a small customer base or you intend to capture a large market share, your commitment to excellence in relation to your customers and your product or service can be the key ingredient to your success. Remaining compassionate while staying on track can be a bit of a trick. While at times a valued customer may have special needs and you might want to go that extra mile for them, you must clearly distinguish when and where to draw the line. Yes, be flexible but don't get taken advantage of. Give them anything you can while remaining true to yourself. If a customer needs to be a little late for an appointment or requires an extension on the pay-by date and you can accommodate them do so with reservation. Help them to recognize there is a limit to your understanding and generosity. Don't just blindly let them slide into a bad habit. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is “fire” a customer or client. You may consider that impertinent, or even unrealistic, however if a customer or client is overly demanding, constantly late, or in any manner inconsiderate, you don't have to continue to service them. They may ultimately wind up costing you more than they are worth. Recently, I read about a young woman who had built a thriving company. She permitted her biggest client to constantly stretch their pay-by date and when her client suddenly filed bankruptcy she was faced with down-sizing her business. The end result of the loss of this business client forced her to impose a pay-cut on her employees and herself. Thankfully, her company survived; could yours? Let us recognize the lesson revealed by her setback. Don't be afraid to say “no” when you are uncomfortable with a situation. To be truly successful in business today, competitiveness, compassion and clarity of vision are entrepreneurial musts. Commit to DO! How many times have you made an attempt to do something only to fail? Have you ever attempted to start a project, quit smoking, or lose weight, only to wind up either worse off than when you originally began or with a half-completed project? What about that business you swore you would promote this year? That book you were going to write? Did you get it done? After numerous attempts at initiating an activity do you conclude you just can't adequately motivate yourself to accomplish the task? Do you allow ‘things’ to get in your way? Perhaps the challenge is not that you haven't formally set your ultimate goal, but rather that you have decisively committed to failure. Think back, did you say I am going to ‘try'? The word try in itself is the beginning of the end. ‘Try' is simply not as motivating as ‘DO'! Webster's definition of try is 1 a : to examine or investigate judicially b (1) : to conduct the trial of (2) : to participate as counsel in the judicial examination of 2 a : to put to test or trial <try one's luck> -- often used with out 3 : to make an attempt at – It is clear that even Mr. Webster fundamentally realized that to try was a pledge ONLY to try. When you try to accomplish something you often fail simply because you have released yourself from the guilt of failure; you never said you were going to do, just that you would try. Therefore, when you do fail you can say “been there, done that” without feeling like you failed. However, the reality is; you did fail! I have found that when I commit to DO, things get done! That one simple word purposely produces a mindset for success! I recall when I began my business, 30+ years ago, I simply decided to DO! I didn't say, I am going to TRY, I said I AM GOING TO…! No option for potential failure there. Another effective illustration I recall is when I decided to stop smoking. I had TRIED several times before, but the day I said ‘I QUIT!’; that is the day I REALLY did quit! How do you purposely produce decisive success? Yes, do start with a clearly defined goal in mind. Yes, do successfully create a plan, write it down, and make it a reality. But most importantly decide ultimately to succeed! Commit to DO! To be truly successful and to remain committed to your ultimate goal, ‘Commit to DO’ today! Commit to Win! In today's fast paced competitive world we tend to rush from one point to the next. Learning to 'multitask' is beneficial for your assistant, but can be deadly to the successes you are endeavoring to achieve. When you look at successful people you know or have learned about you immediately recognize that they are genuinely, singly focused on their objective. Coming to the realization that you need to steadfastly focus on your ultimate goal is only the beginning. So what is the next step? Picture yourself with the prize! No matter how silly or how trivial you may think it is, the simple act of creating a visual image of yourself having successfully achieved your objective and looking at it every day can purposely effect an observable sense of success. If your ambition is to be the top sales rep for your company or become the champion of the Indy 500, make it a fact in your mind; accept no excuses. Now that you have that winning posture displayed on your bathroom mirror, on the partition of your cubicle or somewhere you will notice it often throughout the day; are you prepared to truly commit to win? To be successful you must persistently remain focused on your goal. Easy for me to say but hard for you to do, you might sincerely believe. Do you think that you're not special enough to literally make your dream a reality? Even the slightest doubt can steel your prize away. Often in life we are thrown off track by this obstacle or that challenge. It is when you allow 'things' to get in your way that you lose your central focus. Take your example from the hurdler, jump over it and keep going. Think, eat and sleep success! Commit to win! As you set about making your dream a reality you will come across naysayers that will try to steal your vision. Turn and run; don't look back! If you are in sales you’ve probably heard of the ‘Law of Averages'. What is being referred to here is the ‘Law of Large Numbers'. This law states that everything will ultimately 'average out' or 'what goes around, come around'. Therefore, if you are steadfastly endeavoring to be the number one salesperson, don't be thwarted by those that say ‘no'. Look at each and every ‘no' as one less that you need to get in order to achieve a ‘yes'. After each and every ‘no' look up at the sky, snap your fingers and cry 'NEXT!' Now, discipline and skill will be the tools you need to acquire. Even the most successful person you know, initially began their journey with exactly the same chance of success as you have now. They, likely, sought out a mentor, someone who could adequately supply them with effective training and hone their skills until they too could achieve their goal. Do you really want a coach that will embrace you and tell you how wonderful you are or one that hones your ability and fervently incites you to be the best you can be? Embrace your failures; learn from your mistakes and steadfastly determine to accept nothing but victory. These are all essential steps to achieve ultimate success. Omitting or ‘short-cutting' just one of them can significantly hamper your success journey. Whether ballroom dancer or business owner, training for the Olympics or learning a profession, the one that walks away with the 'gold' is the one that is decisively committed to win. I challenge you to formally establish your goal, envision yourself as having successfully achieved it and commit to win! A Vote for Confidence Recently I organized a promotional photo contest. Among the selections an image was titled ‘Confidence'. Overwhelmingly that photograph was chosen and ultimately became the winner. This made me stop and think about how most of us are influenced by the air of confidence. Look around you; think about it. What is it that makes you want to emulate someone else? More than likely you are drawn to people who project confidence. Would you apply the principles gained at a conference or training session if the spokesperson didn't impress you? When you attend a function is it the individual that meekly offers their hand to you that you wish to befriend or do you seek out the recognized leaders in the group? Of course, you should introduce yourself to all types of people, but how do you draw them to you? Confidence is the key! How do you reach the point where you too possess the confidence that causes others to actively seek you out? There is a fine line between success and mediocrity and confidence can serve to bridge that gap. So how do you develop your confidence? Knowing everything about your product or service certainly helps, but waiting until you ‘know it all' can cost you valuable business building time. Begin with the basics. Practice. Yes the simple act of standing in front of a mirror and practicing what you want to say will allow you to improve your speaking ability. Alternately, if you happen not to "know everything about your product or service" an excellent option is to show a sincere interest in the other person's area of expertise. This will typically serve as a great icebreaker and make them more comfortable and sympathetic to your points when you get around to them. Once you are comfortable with what you have to say it is time to begin looking in the mirror at how you present yourself. Take a good look. Is the person looking back at you someone you would like to get to know? How are you standing? Are you standing up straight and tall or are you just standing there looking back at yourself? Pull those shoulders back, think and act positively. You have certainly heard it said, ‘Dress for success'. The style you dress in can either enhance your feeling of confidence or it can detract from it. When you wear clothes that are wrinkled and the wrong size you tell the world you are lazy, unsure of yourself and generally to be avoided. However, just the opposite is true of the individual that is well dressed, neatly pressed and groomed. You don't have to wear Armani suits or fine jewelry, just dress in a neat, clean, attractive fashion. Ladies, that mini-skirt or suit that is just the teensiest small in the obvious places is not the way to portray your winning personality. Some of the best dressed women I have ever seen were office assistants in Santiago, the capital of Chile. None of them had much money nor were they dressed in expensive clothes, but they all fit trim figures into tastefully chosen clothes. After 30 years I still remember them. Now that you have the posture and the right outfit you need to look at your unspoken language. Body language is the subtle art of communicating without speaking. What is your body language communicating to others? Are you telling them with the look in your eye or your posture that you are worth knowing? If not, I have a couple of simple suggestions for you. Always look the person you are speaking to directly in the eyes. This tells them that you believe in what you are saying and that you respect them. Another skill you might develop is the ability to create a connection by the simple act of conforming posture. As an illustration; if the person you desire to speak with is sitting with their right leg over their left, you do exactly the same. Allow them to become comfortable in that position and then ever so subtly switch your position. If they follow suit they are unconsciously bringing themselves into agreement with you. If they don't, switch back to their position and try again. There are numerous reference materials on the art of body language. I urge you to incorporate at least a few of these methods into your daily communication. These simple practices will aid you in developing the confidence you desire. An air of confidence is not something that most of us are born with. It is a talent that successful people have learned and aptly utilize every day. Practice and begin developing your confidence with these simple techniques; then, go forth and win friends and influence people! Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting Part I The new year is nearly upon us. It is time once more to visit the issue of goal setting. What are you planning to accomplish next year that you haven't previously? Do you see yourself as the top salesperson at your company? Do you desire to successfully increase your customer base; promote your business or maybe you simply want to save and plan for a vacation in some exotic locale? We all have the best intentions when it comes to getting things done. However, for most of us there just aren't enough hours in the day. At times you may have wondered at the end of the week where all that precious time went. Believe me, you are not alone. Goal setting, whether for mundane daily tasks or a billion dollar operation is an activity familiar to everyone. The larger our operating domain, the more important it is that we "get it right". So just what can you do to effectively guarantee you achieve your goals? How do you successfully complete your tasks efficiently and effectively? I will attempt to effectively respond to these questions by helping you avoid some of the pitfalls of goal setting. 1. Failure to create a plan – Does that sound a bit strange? Actually 2 out of 3 people who have trouble in this area merely haven't taken the time to consider the actions necessary to achieve their goals. 2. Lack of or poor organization – Step back and look at the big picture. Think about what you wish to accomplish and how to complete the task within the time frame you have allocated. Consider all the aspects that will come into play. Draw on your resources whether they are materials or a human that will effectively guarantee your objectives are accomplished. 3. Fear of the loss of control – This one is a big problem for many of us. How often have you had the thought, if I could just have someone else do this simple task… only to discount that thought because you don’t believe it would be completed as effectively and efficiently as you could do it yourself. If you expect your business to grow beyond what you are able to accomplish yourself you have to be prepared to share responsibilities. Other qualified individuals or companies can assist you when the timing is right to take your business to the next level. You have to learn to balance increased production with increased overhead. These are just the first few snares to avoid when initiating your goal planning. Successful goal planning is an integral part of business development. In Part II we will discuss the last four pitfalls of goal planning, how to overcome and succeed. Seven Deadly Sins of Goal Setting Part II In the first part of our series we discussed the lack of planning, organization and the fear of loss of control. In Part II I am going to continue this discussion. I am going to jump right in. 4. Failure to designate tasks – This goes right along the same line as fear of the loss of control. When you finally do yield the reigns long enough to understand the necessity of allocating the menial tasks, you will have initiated the first steps of developing the team you will need to attain your goal. Before you over commit yourself or limit your growth consider who can effectively assist you. Perhaps you need to hire a new employee but you don’t want the headaches of the overhead. Consider the possibility of utilizing a placement agency that will handle all the financial and legal aspects of employee management. Maybe your need is for a contractor who will help you organize your workspace allowing you to become more productive. Perhaps you want to accomplish a task that you are just not trained to do. If that is the case, find someone that has the skill to assist you and ask them for their input or cooperation. 5. Failure to prioritize – Once your goal has been decided upon one of the most important thing to accomplish is the development of a task list. Prioritize your tasks; write them down. Once you complete the first task it will equip you to initiate the next which in turn will enable you to remain focused on your goal. It is when we attempt to do everything all at once that we often become overwhelmed with the project at hand and lose focus. This is the precursor of failure. 6. Failure to implement – Take action! The fact of the matter is if you don't implement your plan your plan is worthless! How many times have you sat down and figured out what you need to do, how you are going to do it, and what tools you'll need to accomplish the task only to fail at implementation? Goal setting has two components, planning and implementation. The more realistic the planning the better the results of the implementation will be. Every year business professionals and managers set aside (or press their employees to allocate) time to design their business plan for the year ahead. Then once that task is completed they return to the same old habits of the previous year without even a hint of the required action to achieve their goals. If your plan doesn't incorporate effective measures to ensure its implementation then it will likely fail. We are all familiar with the partially crossed off "to-do" list at the end of the day – how about a trillion dollar real life example? In 1980 President Reagan promised to balance the budget by 1984. In reality the plan was never implemented. He never proposed a balanced budget in his eight years in office or curbed Congress's ballooning spending programs. In 1985 the GrammRudman-Hollings plan promised a balanced budget in 1991 -- it was never implemented. In 1990 Congress enacted a program to balance the budget by 1993 – it was not implemented. In 1995 another plan – never implemented. The lesson here is that the plan must match expectations with reality and include measures to ensure execution in the face of obstacles and opposition. 7. Failure to establish a reward system – For most people it's all about the reward. Think about it. How many game shows are there? How often are incentives given in sales meetings? It's all about discovering what keeps you focused on the task at hand. When you have rewards to eagerly anticipate you increase the chance of accomplishing the task. Think of a reward that is realistic for the goal you want to attain. Don't limit yourself to just the end reward; consider also small rewards for accomplishments along the way. You may decide a night out, or a trip to a masseur is just what you need. Make it realistic and rewarding enough to keep you on track and go for it! Create a plan, organize and prioritize, implement, designate, and followthrough. Accomplish your goal(s) one step at a time and reward yourself for a job well done. Contagious Influence So, you passionately desire to have a successful business. You've bought all the tools, read all the books, joined all the associations and you're still struggling to break even. This scenario is all too familiar for many small business owners. So how do you change all that? How do you help people recognize that what you have to offer is what they have been seriously looking for? Become contagious! No, I am not talking about going out and passing around that flu bug. What I am recommending is the art of presenting yourself in a manner that attracts others to you. Let's look at the facts. Nobody wants to buy anything that they haven't already bought-into. If they don't believe they won't buy. So how do you successfully develop a contagious personality if you weren't born with one? The steps are clear and simple. I call it the C+ principle. C + C + C = CI. The first C stands for Commitment. You have to be committed to what you have to offer. You have to genuinely believe in your product or service to be able to persuade others of its potential value. How many of you have a product or service that you don't believe 100% in? Have you lost your enthusiasm for what you have to provide? How do you expect others to conclude they just can't live without “it” if you don't believe what you have is truly the best answer for YOU? The second C stands for Communication. Be ready to share! What do you share? The best way to communicate your faith in your product or service is to merely “tell your story”; yet, so many of us are trying to master those pat sales lines. We have become convinced that if we say just what everybody else says we can be as successful as they are. Truly, it took them years to develop the “sales process” but when you hear it you know you are being “sold”! Simply tell your particular story. It is much more powerful than any sales tactic that you may have at your disposal. What would you rather have a salesperson say to you? “Our widgets are the best widgets in the world! We have sold over 1-billion widgets.” or “It will alleviate all your aches and pains with just one application!” or “When my spouse died unexpectedly, I found myself in financial ruin. I quickly learned that if they had just set aside a small amount each month I would not have been so financially devastated. That is why I determined to become a Financial Advisor, so that others won't have to go through the same pain I did.” (This IS my story.) Communicate with them; help them understand what you have and why they absolutely need it. Share your precious time with them. They won't listen until they perceive that you honestly care. Share your before and after story with them. Make it personal. Make it real. This brings us to the third C, Character. Be genuine in your compassion and offer it with gentleness and respect. Don't “hit them over the head” or come on so strong that you push them away. You need to be respectful at all times while showing them your passion. Honesty is a moral virtue, that's true. It also is the best evidence of a strong character. Remember to always be truthful and sincere. Those that offer empty promises will soon find that they have nothing but headaches to fall back on. It is when you humble yourself and share genuine concern that you command the attention of others. Remember the formula; Commitment + Communication + Character = Contagious Influence. Walk in wisdom. Commit to be true to yourself and honest with others. Show compassion in your speech and your actions. Help them understand that you sincerely care. Then and only then will you have developed Contagious Influence. © Copyright 2005 Ginger Marks. All rights reserved. Ginger Marks is the founder of DocUmeant, Your writing assistant. For more information, visit her website at www.documeant.net She is also the Copy Editor for Ladies First Magazine, your first stop for business articles, profiles and resources for and by female entrepreneurs, www.ladiesfirstmag.biz Disclaimer All efforts have been made ensure the complete and correctness of the information in this eBook. Ginger Marks is not liable for any actions that may result from the information contained in this eBook. You have permission to distribute this e-Book electronically or in print as long as the bylines, URL and copyright are included. Please print the article in its entirety, unchanged and send a copy of the publication to [email protected] NOTE: This product may not be sold as a standalone product and may only be given away as a free gift or bonus product.